Set 1: rock, from almost transcendentally quiet to the propulsion of Jonathan Kane.
(Listen to this set:
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Yo La Tengo

Big Day Coming (track 1)
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Painful

Matador

Quiet, even peaceful. The "almost transcendentally quiet" song.

***

Scenic

Ionia (track 2: faded out by -0:33)
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Acquatica

World Domination

Warm, easygoing instrumental rock. They've also done some fine psych rock: see their album The Acid Gospel Experience.

Lanterna

Silent Hills (track 1)
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Lanterna

Parasol

Warm, melodic, could be a theme song to a movie western, sentimental, yet it also has sort of a softly charging feel at times.

***

Jonathan Kane

I Looked At The Sun (track 2)
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I Looked At The Sun

Table Of The Elements

Also an easy tempo, steady as it goes; it builds, relaxes, and then gradually builds again to the end.

***

Mic break between Sets 1 & 2. Background music played during it:
(Listen to this set:
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Les Chakachas

Love is like a Violin (track 4)

Arriba!

RCA International

Phat, sentimental sound. Feels like it's the slow song at the record hop.

Set 2: the old radio show portion of the evening.
(Listen to this set:
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Radio City Playhouse

Of Unsound Mind

Originally broadcast July 17, 1948

(no label)

Broadcast virtually 60 years ago to the day, it's the story of a two-timing wife who goes on a campaign to drive her husband insane - which won't take much, since he's just home from the asylum. Jeanne Tatum stars as the evil woman.

On from 1948 to 1950, Radio City Playhouse featured solid dramas, often with veterans of New York stage and radio (remember: there was no TV then!). Shows were often written by well known writers of fantasy and suspense, such as Ray Bradbury, Cornell Woolrich, and Agatha Christie. Shows often turned "on life and death situations, with strong male-female roles." (John Dunning, The Encylcopedia Of Old-Time Radio)

Mic break between Sets 2 & 3. Background music played during it:
(Listen to this set:
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Les Chakachas

Love is like a Violin (track 4)

Arriba!

RCA International

Phat, sentimental sound. Feels like it's the slow song at the record hop.

Set 3: we start floating darkly through space.
(Listen to this set:
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My Cat Is An Alien

Into The Sleeping Beauty Galaxy (CD 1, track 2)

The Cosmological Eye Trilogy

Last Visible Dog

Fairly quiet and minimalist, a "near-imperceptible ebb and flow" as we travel through space. And there really is a Sleeping Beauty Galaxy. It was discovered in 1794, and you can see a NASA photo of it here....so, welcome to the WFMU planetarium.

So...why not fire up the photo of the galaxy, turn off the lights, and listen to the music?

***

Mic break between Sets 3 & 4. Background music played during it:
(Listen to this set:
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Les Chakachas

Love is like a Violin (track 4)

Arriba!

RCA International

Phat, sentimental sound. Feels like it's the slow song at the record hop.

Set 4: still in a darker space - this time with whispering voices.
(Listen to this set:
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Aidan Baker

Death Too Wrapped In Dream (CD 1, track 2)
(Listen:
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Oneiromancer

Die Stadt

Quiet, whispered words deep in the mix, easy- tempo, steady-state, calmer end. Aidan Baker is also the guitarist of Nadja, who we hear from next. And he's also quite prolific.

Nadja & Fear Falls Burning

(untitled) (track 2)
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We Have Departed The Circle Blissfully

Conspiracy

Warmer and almost resonant, periodic vocals waaay under in mix; uplifting, even. I'll quote 1 reviewer: "Music like this can only be listened to if you're trying to sleep, relax in the dark...." Originally released on vinyl - this would be side B.

Mic break between Sets 4 & 5. Background music played during it:
(Listen to this set:
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Les Chakachas

Love is like a Violin (track 4)

Arriba!

RCA International

Phat, sentimental sound. Feels like it's the slow song at the record hop.

Set 5: a fun antidote to the last 2 1/2 hours.
(Listen to this set:
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Lata Mangeshkar & S.P. Balasubhramaniam

Didi Tera Devar Deewana (CD 2, track 1)

Bollywood: An Anthology Of Songs From Popular Indian Cinema Volume 1

Silva Screen

Another piece of music that could easily be a theme to a movie western, big sound, fun. From the movie Hum Aapke Hain Koun.

End of show mic break. Background music played during it:
(Listen to this set:
)

Les Chakachas

Love is like a Violin (track 4)

Arriba!

RCA International

Phat, sentimental sound. Feels like it's the slow song at the record hop.

Listener comments!

Mon. 7/21/08 2:13am
G:
That was something (Cat = Alien piece). Just checking if playlist is actually working; it looks different from a live playlist. :-)

Mon. 7/21/08 2:13am
G:
w00t, it work'd

Mon. 7/21/08 2:24am
Andrew:
Did you check out the galaxy photo?

Mon. 7/21/08 2:50am
G:
Yes, very sleepy and very beautiful. Was following links from there to get to black holes and such...

Mon. 7/21/08 2:57am
Andrew:
You should check out the whole APOD site - they'll have some, and lots of other great stuff.